Key Stage 2

Take part in an interactive school workshop, guided tour or use our self-guided resources as you and your pupils explore the SS Great Britain and discover more about Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

To enquire about a school visit please complete the enquiry form at the bottom of this page.

“A wonderful day full of lots of learning experiences for all of the children.” – KS2 class teacher

School Workshops and Tours

Our interactive school workshops are led by a member of the Education Team and intended for up to 30 children per session.

Brunel and his Ship

Duration: 1 Hour

Location: Medlock Education Centre

  1. Explore a range of Brunel’s projects
  2. Discover what makes the SS Great Britain so special
  3. Find out how the ship was built, and have a go at riveting in the Dry Dock
  4. Dress up to re-enact the launch of the ship in 1843

Brunel the Engineer

Duration: 1 hour

Location: Medlock Education Centre and Being Brunel

  1. Explore a range of Brunel’s projects
  2. Discover what powers the SS Great Britain and how its steam engine works
  3. Have a go at powering a model of the screw propeller
  4. Explore Being Brunel looking for real objects linked to Brunel and his work

Passenger Investigation (For Years 5 & 6)

Duration: 1 hour

Location: Medlock Education Centre

  1. Discover where the SS Great Britain travelled during its lifetime.
  2. Use objects and documents to find out more about real passengers who travelled on the SS Great Britain

Victorians at Sea

Duration: 1 hour

Location: Medlock Education Centre

  1. Discover what Victorian passengers on the SS Great Britain did to keep themselves busy
  2. Take part in a carousel of activities including writing with dip pens and ink, playing with Victorian toys, dressing up and taking a closer look at some objects

Guided Tour of The Ship

Location: Onboard the SS Great Britain

Find out about the SS Great Britain’s long and adventurous life, discover passengers and crew stories as you explore the ship with our knowledgeable volunteer tour guides.

Self-guided Resources

These free resources have been designed to enhance your school visit and support students to explore the site. Please print your required resources and bring them with you on your visit.

Brunel’s Curiosity Quest

Duration: approximately 30 minutes

Location: Being Brunel Museum

Have fun and learn more about Isambard Kingdom Brunel with Brunel’s Curiosity Quest! This self-guided activity encourages your group to explore Being Brunel whilst they carry out a range of open-ended tasks, including hunting for objects and drawing a circle in a moving train carriage.

Download Brunel’s Curiosity Quest

Download the Teacher’s Guide

Captain’s Trail

Duration: 1 hour

Location: Ship

Equipment: 1 Pencil and clipboard per printed trail

Explore the SS Great Britain and complete tasks as the “Captain” of the ship using the Captain’s Trail. With 5 versions, each with a different starting place onboard, this self-led activity will allow your class to discover the SS Great Britain in smaller adult-led groups.

Each version of the trail has an adult guide to accompany it with facts and information about the ship.

Children do not need their own trails; we recommend 1 or 2 trails per small group.

Download the Captain’s Trails

Download the Adult Guides

Dockyard Museum Hunt

Duration: approximately 30 minutes

Location: Dockyard Museum

Hunt for objects and discover more about the SS Great Britain. This self-guided activity is based in the Dockyard Museum and will get the children exploring the museum while looking for real objects from the ship’s past.

Download the Dockyard Museum Hunt

Dry Dock – Explorers Under the Glass Sea *NEW*

Duration: approximately 30 minutes

Location: Dry Dock

Dry Dock – Explorers Under the Glass Sea is a STEM themed activity to support small groups while they look around the Dry Dock.

It encourages the children to explore the space whilst providing facts and background information for the grown-ups accompanying them.

Dry Dock – Explorers Under the Glass Sea – student activity sheet

Dry Dock – Exlploreres Under the Glass Sea – adult guide

Explore Everywhere

Duration: Flexible

Location: Anywhere

There is so much to discover and explore at Brunel’s SS Great Britain! These fun, simple and flexible challenge cards help children engage with their surroundings.

We recommend one set per group of children.

Download Explore Everywhere

*For best results, set your printer to “flip on long edge” and to “actual size”. Print in A4 landscape, double-sided and in colour. Then cut into cards.

Explore Art Everywhere

Duration: Flexible

Location: Anywhere

Arts and creativity are everywhere at Brunel’s SS Great Britain! These fun, simple and flexible challenge cards help children explore and identify art forms present in their surroundings.

We recommend one set per group of children.

Download Explore Art Everywhere

*For best results, set your printer to “flip on long edge” and to “actual size”. Print in A4 landscape, double-sided and in colour. Then cut into cards.

Prices

Our current UK school visit prices are: 

  • £8 per child for entry 
  • One free adult place for every 6 children, additional adults charged at £8 
  • Free entry for 1:1 carers 
  • £60 per School Workshop – sessions last 1 hour for a maximum of 30 children 
  • £20 per School Guided Tour of the SS Great Britain – tours last 1 hour for a maximum of 30 children

Enquiry Form

Please use the form below to provide as much information as possible to help the Bookings Team with checking availability.

If your desired date is available and the team have all the required information, your visit will be booked immediately and a confirmation letter sent via email.

If the date or time are unavailable, one of our team will be in touch as soon as possible with alternate dates/times.

Please find our booking terms and conditions here.

Please be aware we are currently receiving a high volume of enquiries and are in the process of changing our booking and ticketing system, as a result you may not hear back from us straight away. Please be assured we will respond to your enquiry as soon as we are able.

School Enquiry

Name (of Booker)(Required)
School Address
Desired Activities
Please be aware that this is just an enquiry, and all workshops will be subject to availability.
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Please be aware that all dates are subject to availability.
Desired Time
:
We open at 10am, so please request a time from 10am onwards. Please be aware that all times are subject to availability.
DD slash MM slash YYYY
In case your date is unavailable please provide up to 3 alternative dates in order of preference – Tue to Fri (Sept-Feb) & Mon to Fri (Mar-Jul)
DD slash MM slash YYYY
DD slash MM slash YYYY